- Celebrations moving to the People’s Park to accommodate more people.
- Many angry they won’t be in Liberation Square, as in recent years.
- See some of the Letters to the Editor on the subject below.
- What do you think? Take part in our poll.
ISLANDERS young and old have spoken out against plans for the 70th anniversary of Liberation Day which they think are going to ruin the occasion.
A proposal to hold celebrations in the People’s Park rather than Liberation Square have been criticised for being insensitive to those for whom the celebrations are most important – the Islanders who lived through the Occupation.
And critics also say that veterans should have a greater role than currently planned in the traditional ceremonies, including the flag-changing re-enactment at the Pomme d’Or Hotel.
Among those to have raised concerns about the plans for the celebrations – which are being organised by the Bailiff – are Daphne Minihane from the charity Age Concern, Occupation survivors and a 12-year-old schoolgirl who has written to the Bailiff.
Chief Minister Ian Gorst has also said he plans to speak to the Bailiff after being made aware of the backlash and receiving a number of complaints himself.
It comes as States Members yesterday rejected a proposition from Deputy Sam Mézec for an extra bank holiday on Friday 8 May in lieu of Liberation Day, which falls on a Saturday this year. There was no extra bank holiday last time this happened.
Mrs Minihane, a survivor of the Occupation herself, said: ‘The people of the day are the old people who lived through the Occupation – they are the VIPs.’
Age Concern has organised a free lunch at the Pomme d’Or for those who were in the Island when it was liberated.
Grainville schoolgirl Leah Trott (12) has written to the Bailiff saying that is she ‘annoyed’ that her elderly relatives will not be able to celebrate, as is traditional, in Liberation Square.
Her great-grandmother, Eileen Barrette, and great-great aunt, Enid Davis, have stood in the same spot in front of the Pomme d’Or Hotel, at 11 am every Liberation Day since the end of the war.
They now worry if they will be able to walk from Liberation Square to the People’s Park to participate in the celebrations.
‘I urge you to please think about the older generation. Do you have elderly relatives in your family that you respect as much as I do?
‘If you do, think of them. Do you want to ruin their last few years by ruining their traditions?
‘Please change your mind and change it back.’
Ms Barrette (87) said that the celebrations should stay in Liberation Square as long as survivors from the Occupation are still around.
‘I was beside myself when I heard they were moving it,’ she said. ‘The handful of people who are left are my age and we don’t want change.
‘Let them wait a few years until we are all gone and then they can have the celebrations wherever they want.’
Senator Gorst now plans to speak to the Bailiff to see how older Islanders could be further included in the celebrations that are taking place at Liberation Square, including the traditional flag-raising ceremony, which will be carried out as normal by young cadets in uniform.
‘I understand why it is proposed to go to People’s Park, as that is where the first post-Liberation Day celebration was held in 1946,’ he said. ‘I equally believe that there should be a re-enactment in Liberation Square, which there will be with young people.
‘And I equally understand that for some veterans they would like to be part of that re-enactment, so I will be in consultation with the Bailiff’s Chambers to see how we can accommodate that.’
The Bailiff’s Chambers has confirmed that veterans will still play a part in the day’s celebrations, which include a service and food fair and entertainment at the park.
A spokesman said that holding the event in the People’s Park would enable more people to participate and share the day with the Countess of Wessex, who is visiting the Island for the event, and reflect the first commemorative ceremony held on 9 May 1946.
He added that the elderly would be looked after in the park, with easy access, seating under cover and toilet facilities, and that there would be a special flag ceremony in the park which would involve members of senior citizen groups and veterans. Further details about the events that are planned are due to be released in due course.
Places are still available for Age Concern’s Liberation Day lunch at the Pomme d’Or. For tickets call 758922. Attendees must be able to prove they were resident in Jersey on Liberation Day 1945.
LIBERATION Day is a time for the community to come together to mark one of the important days in Island history and to celebrate freedom.
This year it has a special significance both because it is the 70th anniversary and because our freedoms are once again under attack, this time by terrorists at war with western democratic values.
It is a great shame, therefore, that plans to change what has become the accepted format and running order on 9 May have become such a divisive issue.
The Bailiff’s office must sit down, explain its plans and listen to those with concerns as a matter of urgency.
From June Beslièvre.
I SHARE the disgust of many at the way the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Liberation have been organised.
To have entertainment and a tea party running from 2 pm to late evening is one thing but to cut out all the things that matter most to the people who were here during the Occupation is shameful; they were the ones who endured so much so that the rest could enjoy the party.
The visit by the Royal Navy with the troops on board, youngsters with their parents re-enacting the scenes down the harbour as Liberation began, with soldiers distributing sweets, then the flag-raising ceremony and service of remembrance.
The final sing-song with the Band of the Island of Jersey and young people singing, then Sadie Rennard’s glorious rendition of Beautiful Jersey, that is the way it should still be done. The party in the park can still follow.
There seems no point in moving the service to 8 May, who is going to be there? Why is the ceremony in the park going to include a meeting of the States?
What an opportunity has been lost, youngsters will just have a jolly day without knowing what Liberation is all about.
From Hazel Haines.
I FEEL that I must reply to the letter from June Beslièvre (JEP 6 March) with regard to the celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation.
I am one of the people on whose behalf she purports to speak and I totally disagree with her.
We are all in our 70s, 80s or 90s and in ten years’ time most of us will have popped our clogs.
The arrangements have been well thought-out for the needs of our generation and it is only for one year. If younger people need to see re-enactments of the Liberation of the Island they have many more years ahead in which to do so. We do not.
The reason it is in the park is so that if the weather isn’t kind there is shelter, somewhere to sit and somewhere to place extra loos, which is very important to our generation.
There have been many years in which re-enactments and sing-songs have taken place and there will be again.
The ticketing is strictly controlled so that only those people who were here during the Occupation, or who were interned or in the forces, will be able to attend and transport to and from the location is laid on.
I congratulate the lady from the Bailiff’s office who is organising this year’s events and to whom I have spoken on the phone. She was most helpful and my sister and I were only yesterday saying how well she understood the needs of our generation.
I do not know to whom June Beslièvre refers as many people feeling disgust or whether because she feels this way she assumes others do too.
As she uses the word ‘they’ when referring to people who were here at the Liberation, I assume she is younger. I suggest she actually speaks to someone who was here. She may change her mind.
From Glenda Le Masurier.
WELL done June Beslièvre (JEP 6 March). Thank you for voicing what we feel must be the views of a great many ofthose of us who were here at the Liberation, those who felt the elation and excitement of that momentous event.
We feel the 70th Anniversary should have remained entirely as in previous years, a ceremony enjoyed by hundreds of our generation.
It would be interesting to know… Why? And who decided on these disjointed arrangements, not at all in keeping with the occasion?
From Dennis and Judy Le Flem.
MY wife and I are both Liberation people with both our families having been in trouble disobeying the German regulations – my wife’s father having been imprisoned for having a radio and my family for helping the Russian prisoners, all of which we remember well.
It was a very hard and rough five years of German Occupation for all locals at that time – no cars, radios and a shortage of food. At the end, I was 19 years old and Judy 14 years, her dad being released from prison near that time.
On the morning of 9 May I remember cycling from our farm past West Park, seeing the battle ships in the bay, also the unloading of lorries and jeeps in the bay, on to the Liberation Square to see and hear the band leading the first British troops up the harbour to the Pomme d’Or Hotel with loud cheers from us locals.
It was a once in a lifetime, memorable day for us – the raising of the Union Jack flags with the same happening at the Fort, also a fine speech from our strong Bailiff, who with his non-paid States Members did everything they could to thwart the German orders and many regulations for the sake of the Islanders.
It has become a historical and traditional day and time for Jersey, which should continue to celebrate factual events as they happened. Altering original historic events is an insult to the survivors of that day. We will also really miss Sadie Rennard’s voice and song of Beautiful Jersey, treasured memories by the survivors of the five-year Occupation.
It seems that the States Members have agreed, without any consultation with the people of Jersey, to alter this historical Liberation Day to suit themselves. Where have they been in the last 70 years? I say to these very important people, by all means have your celebration in the park at 2 pm, but my wife and I will go to Liberation Square in the morning to celebrate the real history of Jersey, and to relive our memories of that very historical day, as the Island has done for the past 70 years. It was good enough for Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Charles on their visits but not obviously for some of our present States Members.
On Liberation Day there is a luncheon for the Occupation people at the Pomme d’Or Hotel. Please note that this is paid for by the charity Age Concern. We hope to be looking forward to meeting those present, if we are allocated tickets.
From Ann Denton.
I HEARTILY agree with every word June Beslièvre wrote about the Liberation Day celebrations (JEP 6 March).
I was both saddened and angry when I heard of them.
The 70th anniversary has been turned into a huge meaningless party with little to do with thanksgiving for our freedom from occupation.
A ROYAL visitor will help Islanders celebrate this year’s Liberation Day.
Sophie, the Countess of Wessex will visit Jersey on Saturday 9 May to take part in the 70th anniversary celebrations.
During her visit the Countess, who is married to Prince Edward, will attend a community event at People’s Park which it is hoped that many Islanders will attend.
The events on 9 May will start at 11.30 am with the annual Slave Workers’ Memorial Service at Westmount.
The traditional flag-raising ceremony at the Pomme d’Or will go ahead as usual followed by a grand parade from Liberation Square to the People’s Park at 2 pm.
A ceremony will then take place at the park which will be followed by a community tea party and food fair with entertainment from 5 pm going into the evening.
The Countess last visited the Island in June 2010 when she met children from Rouge Bouillon School
She is also due to visit Guernsey as part of her trip.
WORLD-renowned classical musicians and performers will feature in the Liberation International Music Festival, which this year is expected to be bigger than ever before.
Tickets have gone on sale for the numerous concerts and events that are planned for the festival, which has been extended to take place over ten days from 7 to 17 May at various venues.
The central theme of the festival, which will mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Occupation, is reconciliation.
Tickets for the ballet are available from Fort Regent on 449827, while tickets for all other events are available from the Jersey Opera House on 511115, or through this wesbsite.
The festival line-up
Thursday 7 May – Band of the Royal Marines, at Jersey Opera House
Saturday 9 May – Berlin Philharmonic Octet, at Jersey Opera House
Wednesday 13 May – Concert by soloist Sarah Fox and the Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne, at Jersey Opera House
Saturday 16 May – Ballet Gala with the Royal Ballet’s Sarah Lamb, at Fort Regent
Sunday 17 May – Jazz at Hamptonne, featuring Clare Teal, at Hamptonne
